Bill No. 240871, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Broad Street, Medary Avenue, Park Avenue and Godfrey Avenue; and Bill No. 241054, an ordinance amending Section 14-520 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "/NDO, Ninth District Overlay District," by reorganizing existing requiring special exceptions for certain uses in designated areas, all under certain terms and conditions; and Bill No. 241055, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Packer Avenue, 7th Street, Patterson Avenue and Darien Street. To amend Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code by adding Section 14-541, entitled "/PAK, Packer Avenue Overlay District," and making other related changes, all under certain terms and conditions; and Bill No. 241058, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded Street, Cadwallader Street, Jefferson Street, Germantown Avenue and 4th Street; and Bill No. 241059, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Erie Avenue, 9th Street, Hutchinson Street, Ontario Street, Sedgley Street, 6th Street, Glenwood Avenue and Broad Street; and Bill No. 241025, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to convey to the Philadelphia Housing Authority all or part of a parcel or parcels of land containing approximately 23,595 square feet located in and about bounded by Market Street, 39th Street, Ludlow Street and 40th Street, under certain terms and conditions; and Bill No. 241029, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City, to acquire fee simple title or a lesser real estate interest by purchase, dedication, donation, condemnation, agreement in lieu of condemnation or otherwise in and to all or portions of certain parcels of land located along the west bank of the Schuylkill River in and around an area generally bounded by South 58th Street, as extended to the bulk headline of the west bank of the Schuylkill River; South 61st Street and West Passyunk Avenue for public park, recreation and transportation purposes, under and conditions; and Bill No. 241031, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a sublease agreement with the Philadelphia Municipal Authority, for use by the City of a portion of the premises located at 1 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions; and Bill No. 241050, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into various lease and sublease agreements with various landlords and tenants, for use by the City of all or a portion of various premises located at 1835 South Broad Street, 6,000 Woodland Avenue, 4029 Market Street, 5610 Avenue, 2301 North Broad Street, 6420 Frankford Avenue, 2739 North 5th Street, 5361-91 Chew Avenue, 6233 North Broad Street and 1619 Grant Avenue, all under certain terms and conditions; and Bill No.
241051, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to acquire fee simple title or a lesser real estate interest by purchase, dedication, donation, condemnation, agreement in lieu of condemnation, or otherwise, in and to all portions of certain parcels of land known as 923 West Butler Street, under certain terms and conditions; and Bill No. 241052, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, into a sublease agreement with the Philadelphia Municipal Authority, for use by the City of a portion of the premises located at 1600-26 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions; and Bill No. 241053, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a sublease agreement with the Philadelphia Municipal Authority, for use by the City of a portion of the premises located at 30 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 241061, an ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan Nos. 383, 384, 385 and 386 by relocating portions of the curblines of Southampton Road from The Roosevelt Boulevard to points northwestwardly therefrom, relocating portions of the easterly houseline and the curblines of Southampton-Byberry Road from The Roosevelt Boulevard to points southeastwardly and southwardly therefrom, and relocating portions of the curblines The Roosevelt Boulevard from Southampton and SouthamptonByberry Roads to the PhiladelphiaBucks County Line, all under certain terms and conditions; and Bill No. 241063, an ordinance amending Title 12 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Traffic Code," to create smart loading zones and camera-based enforcement systems for designated parking violations, revise the procedures for identifying and vehicles prior to towing, amend the parking violation subject to towing and make related technical changes, all under certain terms and conditions; and Bill No. 240430, an ordinance amending various provisions of The Philadelphia Code to authorize revisions of various fees by regulation, including license and permit fees under Subcode "A" (The Philadelphia Administrative Code; license fees for food establishments under Title 6 (Health Code); license and permits under Title 9 (Regulation of Businesses, Trades and Professions); license under Section 10-722 (Use of Dumpsters); license under Section 11-610 (Construction Equipment); and license under Chapter 19-600 (Amusement Tax); all under certain terms and conditions; No. 240932, an ordinance amending Chapter 9-4100 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces," to modify the manner in which certain leave benefits are administered during a pandemic or epidemic and making technical changes, all under certain terms and conditions. There are no further bills on the Consent Agenda, Council President.
Thank you very much. These bills having been read on two different days, the question for each bill now is shall the bill pass finally. Will the Clerk please call the roll. And upon being called, each Councilmember shall on each of the bills, nay on each of the bills or indicate those bills for which the member is voting aye and those bills for which they are voting nay. Clerk, please call the roll.
Aye on all bills. The majority of all the members having voted in the affirmative for each 2ND READING of the bills, the bills on the Consent Agenda are passed. We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the regular Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars. Will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240888.
Resolution No. 240888, a resolution appointing Rick Carrion to the Board of Directors of the City Avenue Special Services District. Introduced by Councilmember Jones.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jones for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240888.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for its adoption. (Duly seconded.) 2ND READING
It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240888 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240889.
A resolution reappointing Howard Wurzak to the Board of Directors of the City Avenue Special Services District. Introduced by 2ND READING Councilmember Jones.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jones for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240889.
Mr. President, I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240889 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is 2ND READING adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240986.
A resolution appointing Gary Brandeis to the Board of Directors of the City Avenue Special Services District of Philadelphia and Lower Merion. Introduced by Councilmember Jones.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jones for a motion regarding Resolution No. 240986.
It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 240986 be adopted. All those in favor of 2ND READING the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. Would the Clerk please read the title of Resolution No. 240834.
A resolution proposing an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide for the creation of the Philadelphia Prison Community Oversight Board and the Office of Prison Oversight and providing for the submission of the amendment to the electors of Philadelphia. Introduced by 2ND READING Councilmember Thomas.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Thomas for a motion.
Thank you, Council President. I move we adopt the amendments on this resolution. Just to be clear, colleagues, it's just the amendments. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the amendment to Resolution No. 240834 be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? (No response.) COUNCIL PRESIDENT 2ND READING JOHNSON: The ayes have it and the resolution has been amended. This resolution will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for our next session of Council. The Clerk will please read the title of Resolution No. 241117.
A resolution honoring and congratulating Crystal Tann, a beloved colleague and employee, for her tenure as a valued staff member in the office of Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. upon her retirement.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Curtis Jones for a motion regarding Resolution No. 241117.
With mixed emotion, I 2ND READING move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Resolution No. 241117 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries and the resolution is adopted. The Chair recognizes Councilman Jamie Gauthier.
Thank you, Council President. I just wanted to be recognized as aye on all bills on 2ND READING the Consent Agenda.
Thank you very much. It'll be duly noted. The Clerk will please read the title of Bill No. 240964.
An ordinance authorizing the City of Philadelphia to organize an authority to be known as the Arena Special Services District Authority pursuant to the terms of the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Act, all under certain terms and conditions.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion on the resolution -- on the bill.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. On your behalf, I would 2ND READING like to offer an amendment to Bill No. 240964. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of Council. I move for the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the amendment to Bill No. 240964 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the bill has been amended. This bill will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for our next session of 2ND READING Council. Will the Clerk please read the title of Bill No. 240612.
An ordinance continuing the Fishtown Kensington Area Business Improvement District, in the area that generally includes both sides of Frankford Avenue from the west side of Delaware Avenue to the southwest side of Lehigh Avenue, both sides of North Front Street from the north side of Poplar Street to the south side of Diamond Street, both sides of East Girard Avenue from Frankford Avenue, continuing to the west side of East Berks Street, the north side of West Girard Avenue from Frankford Avenue to North 2nd Street and the south side of West Girard Avenue from Frankford Avenue to Howard Street, and certain blocks of 2ND READING streets that intersect portions of these streets approving an extension of the boundaries of the district to include North Front Street from Montgomery Street to Diamond Street, East Girard Avenue from East Fletcher Street to East Berks Street, and the north side of West Girard Avenue from Front Street to North 2nd Street continuing the Fishtown Kensington Area Business Improvement District, Inc., a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation as the Neighborhood Improvement District Management Association for the District, approving a plan for and report concerning the District, authorizing the Director of Commerce, on behalf of the City, to execute an agreement with the Fishtown Kensington Area Business Improvement District, Inc. relating 2ND READING to the District and reauthorizing the Fishtown Kensington Area of Business Improvement District, Inc. to assess property owners within the District, the special property assessment fee to be used in accordance with the approved plan all in accordance with the provisions of the Community and Economic Improvement Act, and under certain terms and conditions.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Would the Chief Clerk please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 16. The nays are 0. Majority of all members having voted in the affirmative the bill passes. Will the Clerk please read the title of Bill No. 241062.
An ordinance amending Section 14-500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Overlay Zoning Districts," by amending Section 14-502, entitled "CTR/Center City Overlay District," and 14-702, Floor Area, Height and Dwelling Unit Density Bonuses, and creating Section 14-502, entitled 2ND READING "/PCH, Philadelphia Chinatown Overlay District," and making related changes, all under certain terms and conditions.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Squilla for a motion.
Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to offer an amendment to Bill No. 241062. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of Council. I move for the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the amendment to Bill No. 241062 be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying 2ND READING aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the bill has been amended. This bill will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar for our next session in Council. We will now have consideration of priveleged resolutions. Will the Clerk please read any additional resolutions on today's Calendar.
A privileged resolution recognizing January 2025 as National Mentoring Month and honoring the contributions of Philadelphia's mentoring organizations. Introduced by Councilmember 2ND READING Phillips.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Phillips for a motion on the resolution.
For our young people, Council President, I move for the adoption of the resolution.
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. 2ND READING Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
A privileged resolution recognizing, honoring and congratulating Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. on its 111th Founders' Day. Introduced by Councilmember Gilmore Richardson.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Kathy Gilmore Richardson for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of all the members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., including the President of the new Sigma Chapter here in Philadelphia, David R. Richardson, I move for the adoption 2ND READING of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Majority Leader, also Appropriations Chairman Jordan Harris, correct?
Okay. Thank you very 2ND READING much. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
A privileged resolution recognizing, honoring and congratulating Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. on its 105th Founders' Day. Introduced by Councilmember Gilmore Richardson.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Kathy Gilmore Richardson for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President and thank you again for the street renaming for our triumphant founder Arizona Ledonia Cleaver Stemmons. On behalf of all the members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, 2ND READING Inc., I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Would the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
A privileged resolution honoring the life and legacy of Isabella "Izzy" 2ND READING Fitzgerald, a lifelong advocate and former State Representative in the 203rd House District of Pennsylvania. Introduced by Councilmember Thomas.
Thank you, Council President. I'll give further remarks on the floor. But right now I just move for the adoption of the resolution.
You can do your remarks right now, Councilmember Thomas.
I'll hold off, Council President. I know other members are going to want to speak on it as well too. So with that being said, thank you for the flexibility. I move for the adoption of the 2ND READING resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
A privileged resolution honoring and recognizing officer Bernard "Bernie" Turner, Badge No. 4544, 2ND READING for his exemplary service in light of his retirement from the Philadelphia Police Department. Introduced by Councilmember Jones.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Curtis Jones for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
A privileged resolution honoring the extraordinary legacy and groundbreaking achievements of Richard Anthony "Dick" Allen, a Philadelphia Phillies legend and trailblazing African American baseball player as he receives his long-overdue induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Introduced by Councilmember Harrity on behalf of Council President Johnson.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Jim Harrity for a motion on the resolution. Good - 2ND READING
I enthusiastically ask for the resolution to pass. (Duly seconded.)
Good job. Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Good job, Councilmember Harrity. It's been a long time coming for that induction. (Applause.) 2ND READING
Will the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
A privileged resolution recognizing November 2024 as "American Diabetes Month" in support of those battling the disease and acknowledging the structural conditions that lead to disparities and affected populations in available care. Introduced by Councilmember O'Rourke.
The Chair recognizes Minority Whip O'Rourke for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. I do move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.) 2ND READING
It has been moved and properly seconded that the resolution be adopted. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. Would the Clerk please read the title of the next resolution.
Council President, there are no further resolutions in my possession.
That completes our Calendar for today. Are there any speeches Minority? The Chair recognizes Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke.
Thank you, Mr. President. There is a word from the Minority today and today that word actually is anchor. As you all know, I just released or just moved for the passage of a resolution for National Diabetes Month. I wanted to state that it was initially scheduled for November. We are obviously in the month of December, so obviously there's an issue there. But I wanted to just say that beneath the resolutions that we write and the motions that we advance are the lives and the values that give spirit to the law making that we do in this chamber and the lived experiences of our beings matter here. And so, it's important to not be abstract but personal, intimate, so we never lose sight of where the rubber meets the road. These sorts of things anchor the work that we are doing. I wanted to share in light of National Diabetes Month, this resolution recognizes November 2024 as American Diabetes Month in support of those battling with the disease and reminds Philadelphians of the everyday steps they can take to reduce the possibility of developing diabetes. A few facts: 22-yearold Rahsaan Chambers passed away in April 2021 from complications associated with diabetes, ketoacidosis. Chambers was a pre-trial detainee incarcerated at help over 24 hours before anyone checked on him. He directly told PDP staff that he was having difficulties breathing and requested to be taken to the infirmary. Nobody was worried until they found him unresponsive. From there he was rushed to the hospital and after nine days of treatment, Rahsaan passed away from complications of diabetic ketoacidosis. , was a man with Type 1 diabetes who died last November in CFCF after being deprived of insulin for six days. Young left behind three sons and a grandbaby. He was also struggling with diabetic ketoacidosis and was hospitalized multiple times after arriving in the facility in December 2021. Days before his death, dangerously high and he told a nurse that he hadn't received insulin for three days. He wasn't hospitalized or placed in the infirmary despite needing to be hospitalized, placed in the infirmary for urgent care. His family recently filed actually a lawsuit against the City. The former Prison Commissioner, the former one, and the jail's for-profit medical provider YesCare, both medical providers for the facilities Young and Chambers were incarcerated and have a history of medical neglect and those providers are rightly faced with more than 1,000 lawsuits alleging substandard care, because people with diabetes of all types are protected under the Americans with Disabilities ACT, ADA, as people with disabilities. to state prisons also, I wanted to make sure that we did not forget about our incarcerated constituents who are also impacted by diabetes and their families. The Young family couldn't actually be here today. It was part of the reason why we actually waited to move this. But I want to read some words that they sent to our office into the record, and I want all of us on Council to listen and understand this is just another example of the crisis in our prisons while we're talking about Diabetes Month, which has harmed countless Philadelphians. Hear these words: We cannot wrap our heads around letting someone lay there suffering to die. We want to let everyone know how inhumane this one else should have to go through what his three sons are going through. It has made us all look at this whole world differently.
We are filing this lawsuit to demand justice for the father of three boys, the eldest of which is completely physically disabled and dependent on assistance to meet his daily needs. It is absolutely clear that the jails are not safe. And according to our government, everyone should receive health care. With that, Mr. President, again I just want to draw our attention to the lived experiences and the real human experiences that undergird the law-making, the resolutions that we pass, the motions that we make in this body and that it would anchor so that we can bring about material improvement in the lives of working people every single day in Philadelphia. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you very much. Any speeches on behalf of the Majority? The Chair recognizes Councilmember Anthony Phillips.
Thank you, Council President Johnson. I just want to briefly remind individuals that this Sunday myself and Councilmember Isaiah Thomas are hosting a street renaming at the West Oak Lane Charter School For the Honorable Isabella Fitzgerald. She's known as Ms. Izzy. And she is a delight -- was a delight and joy in our neighborhood. The street renaming ceremony is going to be from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 15th. We're inviting everyone to come out again to the West Oak Lane Charter School right there off of Washington Lane and Stenton. And lastly, also I just want to really note really quickly that myself and State Rep. Anthony Bellmon and Local 98 will be hosting a Miracle on 5th Street. It's going to be an incredible time where we're going to have a holiday concert. Followed by the holiday concert, for residents there will be a toy giveaway with some refreshments, so it's going to be live holiday cheer on Saturday, December 21st from 3:00 to 4:30 at St. Paul's Lutheran 5918 North 5th Street. So we're looking forward to seeing everyone there. So just wanted to plug that in. And just real briefly, I'll share the rest of my remarks on Sunday for Isabella Fitzgerald. What a wonderful woman. She was someone who really -- when I started on Council and I started talking about why I was here for our children, she said that message resonated with her and she was encouraged by what I was saying, and she kept telling me that, hey, keep going, keep going, you're doing well, and gave me advice when I really needed it, just really always supportive and always there for you. And I also supported her. You know, that's how we met when she was running for State Rep. number of times already. I'm going to miss her in West Oak Lane and our community is going to miss her as well. So looking forward to seeing everyone on Sunday, if you're able to stop by, with Councilmember Thomas. And I thank you.
Thank you very much. She'll be sorely missed. Very beautiful woman. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad.
Thank you, Council President. I wanted to speak on the bill that I just introduced today to create a community land trust, the Chinatown Land Trust. Chinatown is a unique, cultural and historical community that is part of the fabric of Philadelphia. a fact that Chinatown would be impacted by the proposed Sixers Arena, we need to do what we can very proactively to preserve cultural heritage, promote long-term housing affordability and support local businesses. That is why I introduced a bill today to establish a community land trust. It would provide a right of first refusal that empowers the local community to guide the economic development, preserve affordability and maintain cultural integrity. The right of first refusal established in this bill only applies to publicly-owned properties within Chinatown. My bill would also require PCDC to develop a community engagement process that provides the residents and stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback on priorities. This is a commonsense measure that would ensure we live up to the promise of preserving Chinatown for the years to come. Second, I wanted to speak as the Chair of the Public Health Committee to offer my support for Councilmember Lozada's resolution to hold hearings on the Kensington Community Revival Plan. This plan is not just about resolving crises. It's about revitalizing a community, restoring hope and ensuring that every resident of Kensington has the opportunity to thrive. This resolution is a critical step forward. It enables us to take a deep dive into the year-end report on KCR, examining the impact and evaluating its success and areas for improvement. hearings, we will investigate how the plan has addressed public health concerns like access to health care, substance abuse treatment, safe housing and environmental remediation. Together we can help Kensington reclaim its promise and potential, building a stronger, healthier Philadelphia for all. Thank you, Council President.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes the leader of the Kensington Caucus, Councilman Quetcy Lozada.
Thank you, Council President. As the year's coming to an end, I want to take a moment to look back at our City's efforts to restore and revitalize the has been the recipient of action and attention from local government that has not been seen in years. Council established a Special Committee which has broken down silos and fostered collaborating across District boundaries and fields of expertise. We've set into motion the construction of a comprehensive Marshall Plan built from community engagement, a report from the Special Committee hearings, an audit of City fund findings from the Controller's Office and data and findings from changes to policies and procedures from the Administration. Mayor Parker and her Administration have made Kensington a top priority and I'm grateful for 100th day in office, she unveiled a five-phase initiative called the Kensington Community Revival Plan outlining seven key goals of establishing leaders and partners to secure the neighborhood and eliminate criminal activity. Critical questions about the efficacy of some measures and unsolved issues remain. By authorizing this hearing, we hope to find answers to these critical questions asked by members of this community and continue to get our house together as a local government, further breakdown silos and operating as a unified front in addressing the challenges plaguing Kensington. In order to restore and uplift the Kensington Community, all branches of government across must work together. This hearing is a renewal of our partnership and a step towards achieving the goals we have set for ourselves. Thank you.
Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Isaiah Thomas.
Good morning, Council President. A couple of things. First of all, I want to thank Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke for his remarks today. I couldn't ask for a better partner. As it relates to the work that's being done with the Prison Oversight legislation, I also want to thank all my colleagues for voting in favor of the amendments today. Looking forward to passing that legislation and addressing some of O'Rourke talked about as it relates to lived experiences that people have dealing with this injustice of mass incarceration. Council President, today I started my day with a heavy heart. For those who don't know, Philadelphia lost one of our heroes, one of our champions Mr. Raheem Berry. Myself and my colleague Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, despite it being her birthday, agreed to decide to host the family of Raheem as well as the entire Mastery Shoemaker family who were able to actually come out here today to celebrate his life and his legacy. And for those who don't know, Raheem unfortunately passed away on the way home from school. Raheem was the dean at Mastery did I know Raheem for a long time, Raheem's story really was personal to me and hit home to me. For those who don't know, I actually went to high school where my dad was the dean, so it's a very unique club to be in when you go to school every day where your dad is really the head honcho, right. And for Raheem to be the person that he was and for his son and the entire Mastery community to have to experience what they had to experience, I thought it was only right and I appreciate my colleague and all of the members of City Council for supporting the citation to stand with Raheem's family, his wife Lisa, his son Raheem, Jr., the principal and the administration at Mastery to honor his life, his legacy and to assure that his work continues, not just in support of his son, but in support of all of the young people across the city of Philadelphia that he coached and he mentored. And so, for me, you know, for most of the day I've just been lost for words because it's not just -- it's not just what he meant to the city. Council President, you're father. Most of us on City Council are actually parents. This is a man who woke up every day and just served. He just worked. He just served. He never talked about his legacy. He never talked about doing it for anything else but for the people that he cared about, for the children that he was passionate about. And for him to pass away the way he did on his way home from doing what he loved with loved ones with him in car, it's just heart-wrenching. And so, I appreciate us as a legislative body for no matter all of the things that's going on and all of the things that we're responsible for, and I know people are going to talk about a lot of different things in speeches today, but we always no matter what take the time to recognize and honor the people in the city of Philadelphia who makes Philadelphia the great city that it is. And Raheem Berry and his wife Lisa and the entire Mastery Shoemaker family is definitely on that list. I also wanted to take a moment to just share one story. Like Councilmember Phillips, I'm going to save most of my remarks for the street renaming on Sunday. And, Councilmember Phillips, I greatly appreciate you as a me in that. I know that that's not the norm.
But Isabella Fitzgerald was more than just a Ward leader and a State Rep. Isabella Fitzgerald was my first -Isabella Fitzgerald was the first person in politics to love me. I don't have a traditional political background. You met me in 2010 when I decided to run for City Council and I didn't even know what color tie meant Democrat at that time, let alone what the definition of a ward leader was. So after I got my butt whipped in the 2011 race, one of the things I learned was you have to know who the Ward leaders are in the city of Philadelphia. And I'm office, Ward leader, what the heck is that. You know, I need people to vote for me. I don't know these Ward leaders. So clearly, you learned that lesson the hard way. And after I lost, I decided to listen to the advice of a lot of people and try to get to know my Ward leader and it wasn't an easy journey to get to know my Ward leader. The Thomas name in the Northwest had a different reputation that wasn't necessarily reflective of this Thomas and the Thomas family. So folks in the Northwest were very reluctant about me and my intentions. I had the opportunity to have breakfast with Ms. Izzy one day and just talked to her about who I am and what I was looking to do. And of course, that work, right. And so, Ms. Izzy, she wanted to see me doing the work. And so, after a little while of getting to know me she appointed me to be a committee person in the 10th Ward. And if you don't know about the 10th Ward, folks, right, the 10th Ward does a lot of great work about an election, but the people there care about the community. That's the RCO. Ward meetings are about zoning issues. Ward meetings are about nuisance businesses. Ward meetings are about the violence and the children and cleaning up the neighborhood. And we couldn't ask for a better person to help lead our community than Ms. Izzy. So I'll go more in depth on Sunday, but I did want to just put on the record that I truly love to be greatly missed. And I myself would not be here without Ms. Izzy. People ask me, you know, what changed between the first time you ran for office and the time I ran after that because even though I didn't win, I came a lot closer. And the biggest difference was my Ward leader was with me. And not only was she with me, she was willing to go to war for me. And that meant so much to me as a guy who decided to just run for office because I wanted to be the change that I wanted to see, and she believed in that story. And it didn't cost nothing more than that. I was just somebody who cared and was willing to serve and that was enough for her, and I'll never forget her for that. So I'm hoping folks can join myself and And before Sunday, I'll actually have my third annual Councilmember Isaiah Thomas Basketball Showcase on Friday and Saturday. We'll have schools coming from all across the region, including New York and from the suburbs coming to Philadelphia to play against our public schools, both girls and boys basketball. I'm super excited to host the young people. It's going to be a great day for families and for people to come convene and for us to put Philadelphia on display for the entire region to see what type of talent that we have. As I close out, Council President, I have to take a moment to just put on the record and thank the entire Tech team, the Sheriffs, the operational folks and everybody make things go. Clearly, there was a lot of activity here today. What I think a lot of people don't realize was that this started on Monday.
We had an iron man hearing on Monday that lasted a very long time. And I had to apologize to a lot of people for how that was handled. But there was no complaints from the Tech staff. There was no complaints from the Sergeant-at-Arms, the Sheriffs, all of the folks who make Council sessions happen. And a very special thank you to our stenographer who I felt so bad for throughout the course of the process, couldn't get a drink of water, couldn't get something to eat. But everybody on your staff, Council President, and all the people who work for us as members, know, this has been a very, very taxing week on them and I'm sure that has an impact on their family. And I'm pretty sure you tell them all the time thank you, Council President. But just so they're hearing it from someone else, thank you all. Thank you, Council President.
Councilman Thomas, could you tell us where the basketball event is happening?
This brother right there, right. Thank you, Councilmember Young. The Basketball Classic is going to be happening on Friday and Saturday at MaST School. The events will start Friday after school at 3:00 p.m., and we'll go until about 10 o'clock. And then we'll start Saturday at about 10:00 a.m. and we'll go until about 7:00 p.m. Thank you, Councilmember. I forgot to include that information. Thank you, Council President.
You're welcome. Chair rec -- Jay, you'd still like to be recognized? Let me get Councilmember Jamie. She was next. Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, then Councilman Jeffrey Jay Young.
Thank you, Council President. I wanted to start by thanking Majority Whip Thomas for allowing me to participate in honoring Mr. Raheem Berry today. I didn't have the opportunity to know him in life, but everything that I've heard from the Councilmember and his family tells me what a great man he was and what an impact his loss will have and what an impact his legacy will have on the city of Philadelphia, so thank you so much. I also wanted to talk about the University City Townhomes. Today this body cleared another milestone in the quest to achieve justice at the University City Townhome site. We transferred nearly 20 percent of the former Townhome's property to the Authority, who will rebuild at least 70 deeply and permanently affordable homes in a neighborhood of opportunity. I want to start by again thanking the former UC Townhomes residents for their activism, partnership and perseverance. I look forward to keeping the former tenants in the driver's seat throughout the design and construction process and welcoming back those who want to return. This land transfer was only possible because we fought for and won the communities due. Rewriting the status quo to prove that when affordable housing comes under threat, we are not powerless. When the UC Townhomes landlord announced their intention to bulldoze the property at the end of their government subsidized contract, naysayers told us there was nothing we could do about it. But instead of giving up, we dug in our heels and fought for the working families that have called this place home since it was known as the Black Bottom. It wasn't easy. Over the years we have been working on this. We have faced obstacle after obstacle. I spent hours and hours in court with now City Solicitor Renee Garcia, fighting a lawsuit levied against the City and me in my personal and professional capacity, and securing the land we just transferred as well as a $3.5 million Tenant Fund, which as of earlier this fall has been distributed to all but one recipient. Most recently City Council and the Mayor worked $14 million to fund the rebuilding at the site. Our activism proves that we can and must do more to preserve and expand deeply affordable housing in neighborhoods of choice across our city. We showed that affordable housing belongs in amenity-rich communities like University City, where families can easily access family-sustaining jobs, good quality schools, health care and other essentials. Our work at the Townhomes is inspiring residents from every corner of Philadelphia to take a stand for affordable housing. Look no further than the mighty 4th Council District and what happened at Brith Sholom, and I want to congratulate Councilmember Jones on that. The seniors that called arms to say no more to deplorable conditions and a private for-profit landlord taking advantage of them. And thanks to the leadership of Councilmember Jones, this crumbling but vitally important senior affordable housing development will be restored and preserved. Our work is far from over. Thousands more affordable homes are at risk of disappearing in the next decade. And so, I encourage us to keep fighting just like we did at the UC Townhomes and stand up for the safe, stable and affordable homes our constituents need for a successful life, healthy communities and a vibrant Philadelphia. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I want to thank my colleagues for supporting our efforts to save Joe Frazier Gym. Joe Frazier's Gym is not just a North Philadelphia icon, but a Philadelphia icon in general. Joe Frazier is Philly's champion. He is our real life Rocky Balboa that was mentioned by the family here today. And he understood what life was like growing up in the city, making it and coming back to give to your city. So I just want to thank my colleagues again and let the public know that we're going to do everything we can to save that iconic building and to restore its glory back on North Broad Street. you, Mr. President.
Thank you. Good job. The Chair recognizes Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you, Council President. Again, a very happy birthday to my Freshman Four colleague Councilmember Jamie Gauthier. This is just a reminder for all of our colleagues that today after Council will be our annual holiday luncheon given by our President. So please join us directly after Council in the caucus room. Thank you.
Thank you, Majority Leader Gilmore Richardson. today. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilmember Thomas for a motion to adjourn.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, December 19, 2024 back to our regular scheduled program at 10:00 a.m. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and properly seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, December 19, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. Thank you very much for your hard work and dedication. ) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I, hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence noted are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me in the foregoing matter, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. m. C. P. m. d. S.